PNPand Cotabato City traffic office blast, a diversionary

COTABATO CITY -- Police here are convinced the explosion that rocked the traffic management office on Saturday night could be an attempt to free detainees from Police Station 1 lock up cell.Senior Inspector Roel Zafra, Cotabato City policespokesperson, said bomb experts found fragments of asmoke hand grenade at the blast site.The explosive, he said, was lobbed atop the traffic office roof but it rolled down and exploded at the pavement. Our analysis, it was aimed at creating confusion in the police office so inmates could escape, Zafra said, adding that the smoke penetrated the detention cell. Detainees were moved to other area of the office but under heavy guard, he added. It was a tactic by the suspect, attacking the traffic office but the purpose was to rescue detainees, Zafra said.